To Mourn
by Mokusan
Summary: Mourning is a difficult thing, even after several years. Memory and sadness grip the heart and make all so dark and haunting. Painful is the deaths of a stranger, more so is the death of one you held so close. !Character Death!


**Disclaimer- I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.**

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**H**is brown eyes narrowed as he glared up at the sky, face otherwise expressionless. There were black clouds looming overhead and not a spot of blue was to be seen. He knew there was a storm coming; perhaps it was only all the more fitting. A light breeze ran through the trees, rustling the leaves and displacing several wisps of hair. It wasn't often that he thought about what had happened, the memories still painful despite all the years having gone by. 

"It's going to storm," a soft voice mused. He turned, raising a brow at the newcomer. "Did he like storms, Yusuke?"

"…. I don't know." Yusuke returned to glaring at the sky. The man behind him tucked a strand of red hair behind his ear, the light look of amusement that had spread across his face vanishing behind a morbid expression.

"Yusuke, he's not gone forever."

"I know, Kurama," Yusuke replied, tearing his eyes away from the clouds yet again, this time focusing on the stone steps beneath his feet. "But it seems like it." He sighed, running a hand through his loose hair, lifting his head to give Kurama a wry smile. "You think he's happy?"

"I don't see how he couldn't be," Kurama said, his green eyes consoling. "Koenma would see to that, I'm sure."

"I guess…" His eyes were blank as he stared out at the ocean, seeing nothing. "Sometimes I just wish-"

"Wishing won't get you anywhere. You should know that by now." Yusuke turned as Hiei approached the two, eyes half-closed in a lazy fashion while he glanced between Kurama and Yusuke.

"I know," Yusuke answered, his words almost bitter. "I don't need you to tell me."

"I have to every year. Let's get this over with." Yusuke began the long journey down the stairs, Kurama behind him and Hiei taking up the rear. It was almost a ritual now, the tedious decent from the temple long overgrown with ivy and weeds down to the sea side that remained nearly untouched by human or demon hands. The place was peaceful, full of memory that now seemed so distant; it was also coated with a twinge of anguish, a deep sadness that not even the happiest laughter could quench. It was this morbid depression that weighed on their hearts causing the trip to become all the more difficult, each step more painful than the last.

A short while later they reached the bottom of the stairs, none daring to look back. There was more memory here, memory of regrets and days long since past. Yusuke stopped as his feet met the sand, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath. The wind whipped about his face, ruffling his hair and intensifying the smell of the salty ocean that crashed against the shore. Releasing his air, Yusuke's brown eyes snapped open, narrowing in on the odd stone before them.

It was a grave, though appeared to be nothing special. Engraved upon the stone was the simple heading each of the three demons had long since memorized, words they each wished were not so final. They were absolute and made their dark reality all the more unbearable. As he stared on at the grave marker, Yusuke felt his heart ache with a familiar pain.

"Perhaps I should go first."

It was more of a statement than a question. The others nodded and Kurama stepped forward a sad, bitter look swirling about his large, green eyes. Yusuke and Hiei looked to the sand at their feet, giving the former fox some privacy; the roar of the ocean would be enough to drown out his words.

"Hello," Kurama breathed, staring down at the grave, unblinking. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" He reached a hand up to his hair and removed a seed, reaching out his hand as if it handing it to someone. A moment passed before the seed suddenly sprouted, transforming into a magnificent rose right before his eyes. He turned his hand then, allowing the flower to drift to the sand in front of the grave marker.

"You always did like that trick, though I don't know why." He paused. "To be honest, I'm not sure what to say. I suppose I've said everything I have to tell you over the past few years... I have to admit it helps when you don't talk back." He allowed himself a bitter laugh, short and cold. "It was awfully stupid of you to go like that, to leave Yusuke behind." Kurama sighed. "Yukina's doing all right. Shizuru, too. Genkai passed away not too long ago, I'm afraid. It seems everyone's leaving us lately. Keep them company for me."

Kurama turned away from the stone, leaving the rose behind, making his way back to his companions. He wore a tired smile, as if he had done something incredibly difficult that had taken most of his physical strength. A nod to Hiei sent the smaller demon toward the stone and Kurama took his place, standing beside Yusuke with the same distant look he had held only moments before. Hiei stopped at the base of the grave.

His cold, hard expression let loose just the slightest, a softened look gleaming in his crimson eyes. It was a look he reserved for very few and now was one of the rare occasions he used it. "You're a complete baboon," he growled. Somehow his words were hardly as menacing as they had once been, his intimidation lost in a mix of anger and regret. "A fool who couldn't save himself. Such a disgrace even for the human race." Hiei swallowed, the power of his glare returning the longer he stood and simply stared at the strange stone, reciting the words engraved over and over in his mind. Several long minutes passed before he reached into his pocket. As his hand reappeared it clutched a long chain, a gleaming tear gem dangling at the end.

"She wanted me to give this to you," he stated, his voice quiet as he let it fall to the sand beside the rose. "I believe it's high time you knew that we were siblings. Yukina and I, that is. I..." The short demon faltered, an unreadable look crossing his face. "You would have been good for her, idiot. Next time you plan to get yourself killed remember that. If I had the chance I'd bring you right back here and kill you myself. I don't know how you think you could do this to her. You promised to protect her and now you're gone. I can't do it forever; I was hoping you might take over for a while. I-" Hiei stopped his rambling, a startled and pained expression entwined with his features. "Like I said; a disgrace."

Hiei snorted and abruptly turned. His first few steps away from the grave were fast and furious, though before long his anger dissolved and his pace grew more sluggish the closer he got to Yusuke and Kurama. At last he reached the two and upon sending a short nod to Yusuke took up his spot beside Kurama and once more turned his crimson eyes toward the ground. The former detective stepped forward and like the others before him stepped toward the grave.

It had always been strange, these trips to the grave. They never received an answer and Yusuke had to wonder why they each talked to the stone as if it were alive. As if it were a person. But the young man they spoke to had not lingered about; there was no way for him to have heard their short speeches. But still they talked. He knew that even Hiei had said his piece each and every time they came. Perhaps it was part of being a person, this odd need to talk to those who could not answer, who could not hear.

"You're stupid." Yusuke glared at the grave with a foul look, hands shoved into his pockets. "Absolutely friggin' stupid." He stopped, a long silence falling over him filled only by the roar of the ocean and the occasional cry of a seagull as it loomed over head. For once he wasn't sure what to say, his prepared speech forgotten, mouth dry. "... It isn't fair," he croaked at last. His hands fell from his pockets, limp and almost lifeless themselves. "It isn't fair! You didn't have a right to leave! You weren't saving us, you dumb ass! At least I had an excuse to die! But you didn't! You're so _stupid_ for thinking you could get away with it! When I die again I'll kick your ass right out of Spirit World!" He paused, searching for more words, his mind groping for some way to say what he needed to say yet lacked the words to do so.

"DAMN YOU KUWABARA!"

Kurama and Hiei's heads snapped up at Yusuke's cry, the latter now on his knees as he stared at the grave. There was a haunting, lifeless look in his chocolate eyes. His vision was blurry with unshed tears, hands trembling. Ignoring their tradition, Kurama and Hiei walked over to Yusuke, their hands falling to land on either of his shoulders in comforting clasps.

"Damn you, Kuwabara..." Yusuke allowed his head to hang as he gritted his teeth, unkept tears staining his cheeks. The three stood in pressing silence, Kurama and Hiei's patient eyes locked on the grave stone before them, their own pained expressions crossing their faces once more. Several minutes passed and what seemed like hours came to a slow end as Yusuke came to a shaky stand. He swallowed and reached into his pocket, removing a ruffled blue feather and letting it float to join the gem and the rose. "A little piece of me to keep you company, you big lug." He grinned, a sad smile that didn't reach his eyes.

The trio turned from the grave and set off at their own slow pace, once more weighed down by overwhelming pain and memory. The breeze picked up, swirling the sand and half-burying their offerings. As they reached the stairs they stopped, a chilling laughter echoing through their minds. It was an oddly familiar sound, though none turned to look back for the owner of the laugh; it would only disappoint them further as they knew Kuwabara could never return. Yusuke shook his head, running a sleeve over his face to dry his eyes before they began the trip back up the stairs.

_Thanks, guys..._


End file.
